Compare the2024 Mercedes GLC CoupeVS 2024 Land Rover Defender

The GLC Coupe’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Defender doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes GLC Coupe are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Land Rover Defender doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the GLC Coupe are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Defender doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mercedes GLC Coupe has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Defender doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The GLC Coupe has standard NECK-PRO front head restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the NECK-PRO front head restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Defender doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The GLC Coupe has a standard Maneuvering Brake Function that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Defender doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The GLC Coupe has Car-to-X Communication, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Defender doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.

Both the GLC Coupe and the Defender have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available lane departure warning systems.

There are almost 2 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the GLC Coupe’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Land Rover.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover With 50 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Land Rover.

On the EPA test cycle the GLC Coupe gets better mileage than the Defender 110/130:

Regenerative brakes improve the GLC Coupe’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Defender doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes GLC Coupe higher (7 out of 10) than the Land Rover Defender (3 to 7). This means the GLC Coupe produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Defender every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLC Coupe, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Defender.

The GLC Coupe’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Defender’s standard 70 series tires. The GLC Coupe’s optional 285/40R20 rear tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Defender’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLC Coupe has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Defender.

The GLC Coupe’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Defender doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Mercedes GLC Coupe may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 1500 pounds less than the Land Rover Defender.

The GLC Coupe is 9.9 inches shorter than the Defender 110, making the GLC Coupe easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GLC Coupe is 13.9 inches shorter in height than the Defender, making the GLC Coupe much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The design of the Mercedes GLC Coupe amounts to more than styling. The GLC Coupe has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .27 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Defender (.38) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLC Coupe get better fuel mileage.

For excellent aerodynamics, the GLC Coupe has standard flush composite headlights. The Defender has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The GLC Coupe has a much larger cargo volume than the Defender 110 with its rear seat up (19.2 vs. 10.7 cubic feet).

Pressing a button automatically lowers the GLC Coupe’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Defender doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The GLC Coupe’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The Defender’s swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the GLC Coupe’s power cargo door can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Defender doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening cargo door.

The GLC Coupe’s standard easy entry and exit feature raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Defender.

If the windows are left open on the GLC Coupe the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Defender can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer fluid is standard on the GLC Coupe to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The Defender doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid. Its optional heated washer nozzles will defrost the washer fluid but not the windshield.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the GLC Coupe offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Defender doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the GLC Coupe has standard extendable sun visors. The Defender doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The GLC Coupe’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The Defender’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the GLC Coupe to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Defender doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The GLC Coupe’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Defender doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Mercedes GLC outsold the Land Rover Defender by 90% during 2023.